Prime Minister, Sonia Gandhi pay tributes to Deshmukh

Latur, Aug 15: Prime Minister

and UPA chairperson

today visited Union Minister

's native Babhalgaon village here and paid their last respects to the departed leader.

Both Singh and Gandhi laid a wreath on the wooden casket, in which Deshmukh's body rested. Gandhi went up to Deshmukh's wife Vaishali and consoled and hugged her. Singh spoke to Deshmukh's son Amit and consoled him.

Both the Prime Minister and the UPA chairperson sat with the family for a few minutes before leaving. Governor K Sankaranarayanan, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, his deputy Ajit Pawar, AICC in-charge of the State Mohan Prakash, State Congress chief Manikrao Thakre, Union Minister Mukul Wasnik and Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajiv Shukla accompanied the Prime Minister and Gandhi.

Deshmukh's mortal remains would be consigned to flames around 4 PM today at his farm at Babhalgaon, close to the place where his father Dagadojirao was cremated. The senior Congress leader passed away at the Global Hospital in Chennai yesterday.

PTI